Ari Emanuel, the CEO and executive chair of TKO Group Holdings, said he has been trading messages with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about a future project Johnson plans to pursue.
So far, though, Emanuel has not shared any details about the project, including its format, timing or whether it has any direct tie to WWE. That last point matters because the relationship between the two men goes well beyond pro wrestling. Emanuel remains Johnson’s agent at WME, and he also runs TKO, the parent company of WWE and UFC.
Johnson still holds a seat on TKO’s board of directors. He joined the board in January 2024 and was re-elected by shareholders this past June, with his term set to run through the company’s 2027 annual meeting.
Their close relationship was on display again in recent days when Johnson promoted Emanuel’s new book, Roll the Calls.
“Congrats to my long time partner, agent and friend @arielemanuel on this achievement. Front to back, this is an excellent read!”
TKO CEO, ARI EMANUEL SAYS HES BEEN TEXTING WITH DWAYNE JOHNSON FOR AN UPCOMING PROJECT HE WANTS TO DO 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/epEP875zFI
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) September 23, 2026
Their partnership has also had a direct impact on WWE. Johnson said on The Pat McAfee Show in April 2025 that Emanuel was the one who called him about a month before Elimination Chamber and asked him to be part of the show because ticket sales were slow.
After that call, Johnson, Emanuel, Nick Khan and Triple H discussed ideas for the premium live event. Those talks ultimately led to Johnson’s appearance and the storyline involving John Cena and Cody Rhodes.